Hydrangea plant named ‘Hort 10-087-07’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Hydrangea macrophylla  plant named, ‘Hort 10-087-07’, that is characterized by its compact plant habit, its double flowers with a large number of sepals that are pink in color, and its star-shaped sterile flowers comprised of elongated shaped sepals (ovate-elliptic) with pointed tips.

Botanical classification: Hydrangea macrophylla.

Varietal denomination: ‘Hort 10-087-07’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to a plant breeders' rights application filed in Europe on Oct. 28, 2014, application No. 2014/2685 with the application later withdrawn. There have been no offers for sale anywhere in the world more than one year prior to the filing of this application, any sales less than one year were under the direction of the Inventor and no accessibility to one of ordinary skill in the art could have been derived from the printed plant breeder's rights documents.

This application is co-pending with a U.S. Plant Patent Application filed for a plant derived from the same breeding program that is entitled Hydrangea Plant Named ‘Hort 10-87-01’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 15/330,657) and Hydrangea Plant Named ‘Hort 10-080-01’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 15/330/660).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea macrophylla and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘Hort 10-087-07’. ‘Hort 10-087-07’ represents a new bigleaf hydrangea, a perennial shrub grown for landscape use.

‘Hort 10-087-07’ was derived from an ongoing controlled breeding program directed by the Inventor. The objectives of the breeding program include developing new cultivars of Hydrangea with double flowers combined with compact plant habits and floriferous blooming habits. ‘Hort 10-087-07’ arose from a controlled cross made by the Inventor in Boskoop, The Netherlands in June of 2009 between unnamed proprietary plants in the Inventor's breeding program, reference no. 08-022-08 (not patented), as the female parent and reference no. 08-022-06 (not patented), as the male parent. ‘Hort 10-087-07’ was selected as a single unique plant from amongst the resulting seedlings in June of 2014.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by stem cuttings by the Inventor in Boskoop, The Netherlands in July of 2011. Asexual propagation by stem cuttings has determined that the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent the characteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combination distinguish ‘Hort 10-087-07’ as a unique cultivar of Hydrangea macrophylla.

-   -   1. ‘Hort 10-087-07’ exhibits a compact plant habit.     -   2. ‘Hort 10-087-07’ exhibits double flowers with a large number         of sepals that are pink in color.     -   3. ‘Hort 10-087-07’ exhibits star-shaped sterile flowers         comprised of elongated shaped sepals (ovate-elliptic) with         pointed tips.

Both the female and male parent of ‘Hort 10-087-07’ differ from ‘Hort 10-087-07’ in being lacecap type hydrangeas and in having single flowers. ‘Hort 10-087-07’ can be most closely compared to the Hydrangea macrophylla cultivars ‘Hort 10-087-01’ (copending U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 15/330,657) and ‘Hort 10-080-01’ (copending U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 15/330,660). Both cultivars are similar to ‘Hort 10-087-07’ in having star-shaped, double flowers. ‘Hort 10-087-01’ differs from ‘Hort 10-087-07’ in having sterile flowers that are slightly darker pink in color with sepals that are shorter and broader, and in having a more compact overall plant habit. ‘Hort 10-080-01’ differs from ‘Hort 10-087-07’ in having sepals that are pink with white margins.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of the new Hydrangea. The photographs were taken of a plant two years in age as grown in a 4-liter container outside under a shade screen in Boskoop, The Netherlands.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a side view of the plant habit of ‘Hort 10-087-07’ in bloom.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of an inflorescence of ‘Hort 10-087-07’.

The photograph in FIG. 3 provides a close-up view of a leaf of ‘Hort 10-087-07’.

The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with the photographic and printing technology utilized and the color values cited in the detailed botanical description accurately describe the colors of the new Hydrangea.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of plants two years in age as grown in 4-liter containers outside under a shade screen in Boskoop, The Netherlands. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance with The 2015 R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:     -   -   Blooming period.—From May to July in a greenhouse and from             July to September outside in The Netherlands.         -   Plant type.—Perennial shrub, mophead-type hydrangea.         -   Plant habit.—Broadly spreading to upright, flattened             globular shape.         -   Height and spread.—Up to 1 m in height and 1.5 m in spread.         -   Hardiness.—At least in U.S.D.A. Zones 5 to 9.         -   Diseases and pests.—No susceptibility and resistance to             pests and diseases has been observed.         -   Root description.—Fibrous and fine, 199D in color.         -   Propagation.—Stem cuttings.         -   Time required for root development.—An average of 3.5 weeks             for root initiation with a young rooted plant produced in an             average of six months.         -   Growth rate.—Moderate. -   Stem description:     -   -   Stem shape.—Rounded.         -   Stem strength.—Strong.         -   Stem aspect.—Upright to an average angle of 45° to soil.         -   Stem color.—Immature and mature stems; 144A suffused with a             blend between N186A and 200A at the internodes, older bark;             199B to 199C.         -   Stem size.—An average of 18.3 cm (excluding the             inflorescence) in length and 5 mm in diameter.         -   Stem surface.—Immature and mature stems; glabrous, glossy,             and moderately lenticellate with lenticels; elliptic in             shape, an average of 1 mm in length and 0.75 mm in width,             and N186A in color.         -   Branching.—Well-branched with an average of 30 lateral             branches, branching improves with pinching.         -   Internode length.—An average of 4.6 cm. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Leaf shape.—Ovate to broadly ovate.         -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite.         -   Leaf division.—Simple.         -   Leaf number.—An average of 6 (3 pairs) per lateral branch.         -   Leaf base.—Rounded to broadly cuneate.         -   Leaf apex.—Apiculate.         -   Leaf margins.—Lower ⅓ of leaf blade; entire, upper ⅔ of leaf             blade; serrate.         -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate, color; upper surface 144C and lower             surface; 145A.         -   Leaf size.—An average of 7.9 cm in length and 5.4 cm in             width.         -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.         -   Leaf surface.—Upper surface; glabrous, moderately glossy,             and moderately rugose, lower surface; glabrous, very             slightly glossy, and moderately rugose.         -   Leaf color.—Young leaves; upper surface 144A and lower             surface; 143C, mature leaves; upper surface; NN137A and             lower surface 138A.         -   Petioles.—Flattened, an average of 1.3 cm in length and 3 mm             in width, color; upper surface 144B to 144C and lower             surface 144B with 144A towards the leaf node, both surfaces;             glabrous, smooth and slightly to moderately glossy. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence type.—Flattened globular, mophead, compound             corymb of rotate-shaped double sterile flowers.         -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—Sterile flowers; an average of             6 weeks, sepals persistent, fertile flowers; an average of 3             weeks, persistent.         -   Inflorescence number.—One per lateral stem.         -   Inflorescence size.—An average of 9.9 cm in height and 13.8             cm in diameter.         -   Flower number.—An average of 32 sterile flowers and 120             fertile flowers per inflorescence.         -   Flower fragrance.—None.         -   Flower aspect.—Sterile flowers; upright to outwards and             drooping, fertile flowers; upright.         -   Flower size.—Sterile flowers; an average of 5 cm in diameter             and 2.5 cm in depth, fertile flowers; an average of 7.5 mm             in diameter and 7 mm in depth.         -   Flower shape.—Sterile and fertile flowers; irregular due to             deformed gynoecia, overall obovate.         -   Flower buds.—Sterile flowers; an average of 1.2 cm in length             and 7 mm in diameter, ovate in shape, color; 54C with base             150D, fertile flowers; an average of 4 mm in length and 2.5             mm diameter, obovate in shape, 144C lightly suffused with             174B to 174C towards the apex.         -   Peduncles.—An average of 4 cm in length and 3.5 mm in             diameter, held upright, 144B in color, glabrous and smooth             surface, strong.         -   Pedicels.—Sterile flowers; an average of 3.2 cm in length             and 1.5 mm in diameter, held at an average angle of 27.5° to             peduncle, 73B in color, strong strength, very slightly             glossy surface is sparsely covered with short adpressed             hairs; an average of 0.5 mm in length and NN155A in color,             fertile flowers; an average of 5 mm in length and 0.75 mm in             diameter, held at an average angle of 25° to peduncle, 148A             to 148B in color, moderate strength, slightly glossy,             smooth, and glabrous surface.         -   Petals.—Sterile flowers; not present, fertile flowers; an             average of 4, rotate, ovate in shape, acute apex, cuneate             base, entire margin, an average of 3 mm in length and 1.5 mm             in width, color when opening and when fully open; upper             surface 67C and lower surface 68B slightly suffused with 75B             to 75C, color does not fade, both surfaces smooth and             glabrous.         -   Sepals.—Sterile flowers; an average of 20, arrangement;             rotate and double in four whorls, ovate to elliptic in             shape, cuneate base, rounded to bluntly acute apex, entire             margin, an average of 2 cm in length and 1.4 cm in width,             color; upper surface when opening 58B to 58C, lower surface             when opening 63B, upper surface when fully open 64D, lower             surface when fully open 63C, color fades to 146C to 146D             suffused with 63D on the upper surface and 143C suffused             with 63D on the lower surface, upper surface; glabrous,             dull, and slightly velvety, lower surface; glabrous and             dull, fertile flowers; an average of 12, rotate in             arrangement, ovate in shape, acute apex, cuneate base,             serrate margin, an average of 2.5 mm in length and 1.5 mm in             width, color; upper and lower surfaces when opening and when             fully open a mix between 143C and 144B, color does not fade,             both surfaces smooth and glabrous. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Gynoecium.—Sterile flowers; an average of 4 pistils, an             average of 1 mm in length, stigma; club-shaped and 155D in             color, style; 0.5 mm in length and 155D in color, ovary is a             blend between 155A and 158D in color, fertile flowers; an             average of 10 deformed pistils (ranging between 4 to 16             pistils); an average of 1.5 mm in length, stigma;             club-shaped and 158D in color, style; 1 mm in length and 65D             in color, ovary is 144C in color.         -   Androecium.—Sterile and fertile flowers; not present.         -   Fruit and seed.—No seeds or fruit observed. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea plant named ‘Hort 10-087-07’ substantially as herein illustrated and described. 